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The daring idea that time is an illusion and how we could prove it Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:00:33 +0000 The way time ticks forward in our universe has long stumped physicists. Now, a new set of tools from entangled atoms to black holes promises to reveal time’s true nature

Can we genetically improve humans using George Church’s famous list? Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:30:04 +0000 Columnist Michael Le Page delves into a catalogue of hundreds of potentially beneficial gene mutations and variants that is popular with transhumanists

Why people can have Alzheimer's-related brain damage but no symptoms Fri, 30 Jan 2026 15:00:04 +0000 Some people don’t develop dementia despite showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brain, and we're starting to understand why

Elon Musk is making a big bet on his future vision – will it work? Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:24:00 +0000 Reports suggest that Elon Musk is eyeing up a merger involving SpaceX, Tesla and xAI, but what does he hope to achieve by consolidating his business empire?

Yawning has an unexpected influence on the fluid inside your brain Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:38 +0000 Yawning and deep breathing each have different effects on the movement of fluids in the brain, and each of us may have a distinct yawning "signature"

The best new science fiction books of February 2026 Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:00:32 +0000 We pick the sci-fi novels we’re most looking forward to reading this month, from a new Brandon Sanderson to the latest from Makana Yamamoto

How an 1800s vaccine drive beat smallpox in Denmark in just 7 years Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:00:54 +0000 In the early 1800s, Denmark’s government, medical community, church leaders and school teachers all united to promote the new smallpox vaccine, which led to a remarkably quick elimination of the disease in the capital

Our verdict on Annie Bot: This novel about a sex robot split opinions Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:22:58 +0000 Members of the New Scientist Book Club give their take on Sierra Greer's award-winning science-fiction novel Annie Bot, our read for February – and the needle swings wildly from positive to negative

Read an extract from Juice by Tim Winton Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:15:39 +0000 In this extract from the February read for the New Scientist Book Club, we meet the protagonist of Tim Winton’s Juice, driving across a scorched landscape in a future version of Australia

Tim Winton: 'Sometimes I think we use the word dystopia as an opiate' Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:10:24 +0000 The New Scientist Book Club's February read is Tim Winton's novel Juice, set in a future Australia that is so hot it is almost unliveable. Here, the author lays out his reasons for writing it – and why he doesn't see it as dystopian

New Scientist recommends pioneering artist Ryoji Ikeda's new work Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

The universe may be hiding a fundamentally unknowable quantum secret Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:24 +0000 Even given a set of possible quantum states for our cosmos, it's impossible for us to determine which one of them is correct

This virus infects most of us – but why do only some get very ill? Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:00:25 +0000 The ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus is increasingly being linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis and lupus. But why do only some people who catch it develop these complications? The answer may lie in our genetics

This doctor is on the hunt for people with first-rate faeces Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:00:36 +0000 Elizabeth Hohmann is very interested in faeces, and spends her days sifting through stools to find those that could make the biggest difference to other people's health

Fascinating but flawed book explores how sickness shapes our lives Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Susan Wise Bauer's The Great Shadow investigates the effects of illness on individual lives and collective beliefs. It's a mixed bag, says Peter Hoskin

AI-assisted mammograms cut risk of developing aggressive breast cancer Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:30:54 +0000 Interval cancers are aggressive tumours that grow during the interval after someone has been screened for cancer and before they are screened again, and AI seems to be able to identify them at an early stage

Our lifespans may be half down to genes and half to the environment Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:00:56 +0000 A reanalysis of twin data from Denmark and Sweden suggests that how long we live now depends roughly equally on the genes we inherit, and on where we live and what we do

Polar bears are getting fatter in the fastest-warming place on Earth Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:00:03 +0000 Shrinking sea ice has made life harder for polar bears in many parts of the Arctic, but the population in Svalbard seems to be thriving

Faecal transplants could boost the effectiveness of cancer treatments Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:46:29 +0000 Adults with kidney cancer who received faecal microbiota transplants on top of their existing drugs did better than those who had placebo transplants as their add-on intervention

How your health is being commodified by social media Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 From health tech developers to influencers, our health is being monetised – and we need to be aware of what's going on, says Deborah Cohen

Think of a card, any card – but make it science Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback has been informed about a "global telepathy study" which is currently taking place, but isn't entirely convinced about its merits

Engaging look at friction shows how it keeps our world rubbing along Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 How much do you know about friction? Jennifer R. Vail's charming, if sometimes technical, "biography" of the force showcases its amazing and largely overlooked role in everything from climate change to dark matter, says Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

Huge fossil bonanza preserves 512-million-year-old ecosystem Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:00:14 +0000 A treasure trove of Cambrian fossils has been discovered in southern China, providing a window on marine life shortly after Earth’s first mass extinction event

We have a new way to explain why we agree on the nature of reality Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:00:20 +0000 An evolution-inspired framework for how quantum fuzziness gives rise to our classical world shows that even imperfect observers can eventually agree on an objective reality

We're getting closer to growing a brain in a lab dish Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:12:53 +0000 Clumps of cells known as organoids are helping us to understand the brain, and the latest version comes equipped with realistic blood vessels to help the organoids live longer

Most complex time crystal yet has been made inside a quantum computer Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:00:03 +0000 Using a superconducting quantum computer, physicists created a large and complex version of an odd quantum material that has a repeating structure in time

Amazon is getting drier as deforestation shuts down atmospheric rivers Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:50:19 +0000 The amount of rainfall in the southern Amazon basin has declined by 8 to 11 per cent since 1980, largely due to the impact of deforestation

To halt measles' resurgence we must fight the plague of misinformation Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:44:06 +0000 The measles vaccine has prevented 60 million deaths since 2000. So why are so many children around the world missing out on it?

Our brains play a surprising role in recovering from a heart attack Tue, 27 Jan 2026 16:00:30 +0000 A newly discovered collection of neurons suggests the brain and heart communicate to trigger a neuroimmune response after a heart attack, which may pave the way for new therapies

Stick shaped by ancient humans is the oldest known wooden tool Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:00:29 +0000 Excavations at an opencast mine in Greece have uncovered two wooden objects more than 400,000 years old that appear to have been fashioned as tools by an unknown species of ancient human

Menstrual pad could give women insights into their changing fertility Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:16:33 +0000 A woman's fertility can be partly gauged by levels of a hormone that reflects how many eggs she has. Now, scientists have built a strip that changes colour according to levels of this hormone, which is present in period blood, into a menstrual pad

The best map of dark matter has revealed never-before-seen structures Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:00:51 +0000 JWST has created a map of dark matter that is twice as good as anything we have had before, and it may help unravel some of the deepest mysteries of the universe

Termination shock could make the cost of climate damage even higher Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:00:28 +0000 Solar geoengineering could halve the economic cost of climate change, but stopping it would cause temperatures to rebound sharply, leading to greater damage than unabated global warming

The 3 best ways to tackle anxiety, according to a leading expert Tue, 20 Jan 2026 15:00:09 +0000 It is impossible to get rid of anxiety because it exists to help us, says cognitive psychotherapist Owen O'Kane. Instead, he suggests three ways to reframe your relationship with anxiety in order to take back control

Why did magic mushrooms evolve? We may finally have the answer Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:48 +0000 Many species of fungus across the world produce psilocybin, a chemical with psychedelic effects in humans, but its evolutionary purpose may be to deter mushroom-munching insects

SpaceX’s Starlink dodged 300,000 satellite collisions in 2025 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:33 +0000 The company’s mega-constellation is having to perform a huge number of manoeuvres to prevent a collision in Earth orbit

Embracing sauna culture can lower dementia risk and boost brain health Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Columnist Helen Thomson investigates the neurological benefits of saunas, and how heat therapy can have anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body

How – and why – we chose the best 21 ideas of the 21st century Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 From smartphones to net zero, there has been no shortage of innovative ideas in the past 25 years, which is why we have taken a look back to choose the best

Mars's gravity may help control Earth’s cycle of ice ages Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:32 +0000 Despite its small size, Mars seems to have a huge impact on the orbital cycles that govern Earth’s climate, especially those that cause ice ages

How to spot the lunar X and V Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Time it right each month, and you can spot two fleeting tricks of light on the lunar surface. Abigail Beall is planning ahead

Realising the importance of our microbiome: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:01 +0000 Humans have been inadvertently using microbes to influence our health for thousands of years. But only recently has the microbiome rocketed to the forefront of healthcare

Embracing quantum spookiness: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:59 +0000 The strange principle of quantum entanglement baffled Albert Einstein. Yet finally putting quantum weirdness to the ultimate test, and embracing the results, turned out to be a revolutionary idea

Let's nitpick about the physics of Stranger Things, not its ending Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback has seen all the fuss about the finale of Stranger Things, but would like to point out that if we're going to dissect the plot, we have bigger things to worry about

Crowdsourcing Wikipedia’s encyclopedia: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:07 +0000 The internet is typically defined by conflict. Yet a crowdsourced encyclopedia, open for anyone to edit, has transformed into one of the world's most essential knowledge hubs

The totemic 1.5°C climate target: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:17 +0000 Although we’re on course to cross 1.5°C of warming, the alliance of small island nations that revised our goal down from the 2°C threshold transformed global climate policy

We can block the spread of HIV: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:13 +0000 The “enormous revelation” that drugs can be used to prevent catching HIV has benefitted millions and helped slash transmission rates

Peter F. Hamilton's latest is an epic slice of sci-fi – with one flaw Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Peter F. Hamilton’s new book A Hole in the Sky is set on a troubled ark ship hundreds of years into its voyage, with fantastic plot twists and turns. I'm a big Hamilton fan, but one aspect of the novel proved alienating for me, says Emily H. Wilson

New Scientist’s guide to the 21 best ideas of the 21st century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:07 +0000 A quarter of a century in, this is our definitive pick of the ideas in science and technology that are already transforming the world

Bone cancer therapy unexpectedly makes tumours less painful Fri, 23 Jan 2026 19:00:15 +0000 A drug that kills cancer cells by puncturing them comes with an additional benefit: tests in mice suggest it reduces the growth of pain-sensing nerves around tumours

We can rewrite our genetic code: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Our genomes are filled with errors that were once impossible to correct. But in CRISPR, we finally found an extraordinarily powerful tool for treating genetic disease – and perhaps making better versions of ourselves

Sea turtles may be more resilient to global warming than we thought Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:00:44 +0000 An “epigenetic” adaptation could prevent large numbers of loggerhead turtles from hatching as female due to climate change – a threat that was feared to lead to population collapse

The one diet that’s good for everything: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:35 +0000 Time and time again, scientists have found that one diet beats all others when it comes to our health. Fortunately, it's delicious – and also good for the planet

The electrification of everything: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:09 +0000 Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable power is crucial. The opening of Tesla's first "gigafactory", which used economies of scale to electrify our transport and energy systems, marked a turning point in this endeavour

Our solar system is extremely weird: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:08 +0000 Realising that our solar system isn’t like most others out there has helped astronomers rewrite the story of how it formed

Smartphones (yes, really): Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:06 +0000 Some might say smartphones have caused more harm than good. Here’s why putting a powerful computer into every pocket was a good idea

Why singing, dancing and engaging with art is good for your health Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:51 +0000 Whether it be singing, dancing or crafting, engaging in the arts is good for our health, and we're beginning to understand how this behaviour affects our biology

The hidden power of epigenetics: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:28 +0000 Following the surprising discovery that our genetic blueprint is much simpler than expected, we’ve rapidly learned that we have epigenetics to thank for our extraordinary complexity

End-to-end encryption: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:26 +0000 How end-to-end encryption is the wall that keeps our digital secrets safe – and why modern life would be unimaginable without it

Revealing the epic story of ancient humans: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:25 +0000 Since the turn of the millennium, our understanding of our ancestors and extended cousins has shifted dramatically, thanks to a swathe of surprising archaeological discoveries

How fear drastically shapes ecosystems: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:15 +0000 Understanding the “landscape of fear” that predators create in their environments has helped us uncover just how drastically humans have upended the natural world

Hybrid megapests evolving in Brazil are a threat to crops worldwide Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:00:28 +0000 Two extremely damaging crop pests have interbred to create hybrids resistant to more than one pesticide that could cause serious problems in many countries

The one innovation that supercharged AI: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:42 +0000 The most powerful artificial intelligence tools all have one thing in common. Whether they are writing poetry or predicting protein structures, they rely on the "transformer" architecture

There’s no such thing as a normal brain: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:46 +0000 Neurodiversity research has reshaped how we think about autism and ADHD, revealing that a “normal” brain doesn’t exist – and that unusual brains also come with unique strengths

Filming the universe’s biggest dramas: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:52 +0000 Astronomers used to rely on chance to catch a glimpse of fleeting explosions in space. A fresh approach to watching these flashes has completely transformed astronomy

A revolution in how we do chemistry: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:50 +0000 From finding new antibiotic candidates to studying the insides of cells, snapping molecules together "like Lego" has completely overhauled chemistry, and biology too

Pinning extreme weather on climate change: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:57 +0000 It never used to be possible to attribute individual weather events to climate change and map their full consequences. Thanks to the work of two pioneering climate scientists, it is now

Why biological clocks get our 'true age' wrong – and how AI could help Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Your chronological age can’t always tell you the state of your health, which is why biological clocks have been developed to show our risk of developing diseases or dying – but they’re not all they are cracked up to be, says columnist Graham Lawton

New Scientist recommends Avatar: Fire and Ash – especially the whale Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Our oral microbiome could hold the key to preventing obesity Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:00:31 +0000 A distinct set of microbes has been identified in people with obesity, which might help spot and treat the condition early – but whether it is a cause or effect of the condition isn’t known

Stunning images reveal the rich biodiversity of remotest Tanzania Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:13 +0000 Photographer Frédéric Noy's shots give an insight into life around the rainforests of Udzungwa Mountains National Park – and efforts to protect it

Can we battle the downsides of a rule-based world, asks a new book Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Imposing order on the world is seductive, but it flattens out the diversity and rich messiness of human life. Oddly, playing by the rules may help us fight back, argues C. Thi Nguyen in The Score

Ancient bacterium discovery rewrites the origins of syphilis Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:00:32 +0000 A 5500-year-old genome recovered from human skeletal remains in Colombia may give insights into the early evolution of syphilis and its relatives

Ancient giant kangaroos could have hopped despite their huge size Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:00:20 +0000 Long thought to have walked bipedally, like us, Australia’s extinct giant kangaroos have features that indicate they could also have bounced

The invention of net zero: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:51 +0000 Net zero wasn’t always the target – the consensus used to be that we could continue releasing greenhouse gases and maintain global temperatures. How did that change?

The immense interconnectivity of the brain: Best ideas of the century Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:32 +0000 How discovering that different parts of the brain work together as networks has transformed our understanding of everything from daydreaming and emotions to planning and memory

The internet feels super lonely right now. Here's why Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Almost 80 years ago, sociologists identified a new personality type that is particularly sensitive to loneliness. It's even more relevant today, says Annalee Newitz

Does limiting social media help teens? We'll finally get some evidence Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:05:04 +0000 A trial will finally reveal whether limiting the time teens spend on social media really does affect their mental health

Ape-like hominin Paranthropus was more adaptable than we thought Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:43 +0000 A fossil discovery in northern Ethiopia expands the known range of Paranthropus, a genus of strong-jawed hominins that lived around 2 million years ago, and suggests they lived in a range of habitats

Strips of dried placenta help wounds heal with less scarring Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Donated placentas can be processed into thin, sterilised sheets that are packed with natural healing substances and reduce scarring when applied to wounds

We were wrong about being able to 'nudge' people to improve the world Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000 We thought we could address big social problems by steering individual behaviour. But "nudging" people doesn't work, say behavioural scientists Nick Chater and George Loewenstein

Piercing crocodile close-up wins ecology photo competition Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:01:57 +0000 A striking shot of biting flies on the head of a crocodile is among the winning entries in the British Ecological Society’s annual Capturing Ecology photography competition

Natural ovulation the best option before an IVF frozen embryo transfer Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:30:59 +0000 Women using frozen embryos as part of their IVF treatment can either choose to use a medicated cycle or their natural one to prepare their uterus for a pregnancy. Now, scientists have found that the latter option seems to carry fewer risks

Our earliest vertebrate ancestors may have had four eyes Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:50 +0000 Extraordinary fossils of 518-million-year-old jawless fish, among the earliest known vertebrates, appear to show that these animals had two pairs of eyes

Oldest known rock art is a 68,000-year-old hand stencil with claws Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:48 +0000 Newly discovered rock art sites in Sulawesi, Indonesia, that date to nearly 68,000 years ago are thought to be the oldest rock art in the world, pre-dating Neanderthal hand stencils in Spain by 1100 years

Bird retinas work without oxygen, and now scientists know how Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:21 +0000 The light-sensitive tissue of birds’ eyes is not supplied with oxygen by blood vessels – instead, it powers itself with a flood of sugar, and this may have evolutionary benefits

Alex Garland’s The Bone Temple is brutal, brilliant - and mind-blowing Wed, 21 Jan 2026 13:30:56 +0000 This follow-up to the influential 28 Days Later continues to take the zombie movie franchise in a surprising and thought-provoking direction

Octopuses prompt rethink of why animals evolve big brains Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:00:29 +0000 A popular idea suggests a link between big brains and a rich social life, but octopuses don't fit the pattern, which suggests something else is going on

Chernobyl cooling systems have lost power but meltdown risk is low Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:25:40 +0000 An electrical outage at Chernobyl nuclear power plant risks dangerous fuel overheating, but experts say that the chances are extremely slim due to the age of the reactors, which were shut down over two decades ago

Bubble feeding trick spreads through humpback whale social groups Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:01:20 +0000 Humpback whales off the west coast of Canada have learned a cooperative hunting technique from whales migrating into the area, and this cultural knowledge may help the population cope as food becomes scarce

Cross-training may be the key to a long life Tue, 20 Jan 2026 23:30:43 +0000 People who combine different types of exercise – such as running, cycling and swimming – seem to live longer than those with less varied workouts

Scientists investigate ‘dark oxygen’ in deep-sea mining zone Tue, 20 Jan 2026 19:00:15 +0000 Startling findings in 2024 suggested that metallic nodules on the sea floor produce oxygen and might support life. Now researchers are planning an expedition to learn more and refute criticism from mining companies

World is entering an era of 'water bankruptcy' Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:00:57 +0000 Countries have spent beyond their sustainable water budgets for so long that critical assets are depleted and the world faces huge economic, social and environmental costs

Satellites could use magnetic fields to avoid collisions Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:00:05 +0000 Two or more satellites could communicate and manoeuvre around one another using magnetic fields, although getting the technique to work at scale in space might be tricky

Mars once had a vast sea the size of the Arctic Ocean Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:00:37 +0000 Spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet have helped researchers map out an ancient coastline that surrounded a large ocean billions of years ago

Sunscreens made from ground-up wood reach an SPF of over 180 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:00:48 +0000 Concerns around common sunscreen chemicals have prompted the search for natural alternatives, with lignin from wood being one of the most promising candidates

Why a tool-using cow could change how we see farm animals Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:47 +0000 A pet cow has learned to scratch herself with a broom, showing creative problem-solving skills that make it harder to ignore the fact that these animals have minds, says Marta Halina

The 5 worst ideas of the 21st century – and how they went wrong Mon, 19 Jan 2026 16:00:06 +0000 They offered so much promise, but ultimately turned sour. These are the most disappointing ideas since the turn of the millennium

Barnacle gloop could improve inflammatory bowel disease treatments Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:32:08 +0000 A "living glue" used by barnacles to attach to underwater surfaces could also seal gut wounds caused by inflammatory bowel disease

Should Europe boycott US tech over Greenland, and is it even possible? Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:05:07 +0000 As tensions over Greenland rise, some Europeans are asking whether it is time to disentangle themselves from US tech dominance – but from smartphones to cloud services, rejecting US tech is easier said than done

Star appears to have vanished in a failed supernova Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:00:54 +0000 It is theoretically possible for a particularly massive star to collapse in on itself to form a black hole rather than exploding in a supernova, and we might now have seen the process in action